Ultimate Guide to Shirakawa-go

Spend a day in Shirakawa-go, a community of gassho-zukuri houses that have been registered as a World Heritage site. In addition to walking through the village and touring the traditional houses, you can also sample the cuisine and enjoy an onsen. Leisurely and fully enjoy the countryside of Japan.

Day 1

At the Takayama Nohi Bus Center in front of Takayama Station, take the 8:50 express bus from Stop No. 4 (Takayama-Toyama Line) to Shirakawa-go. (Travel time approx. 2 hours and 25 minutes). Please be aware that many of the buses require advance reservations. All buses need to have tickets purchased in advance instead of paying when boarding. Pay attention to the boarding times for the trip heading out and returning.
https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/highwaybus/shirakawago.pdf

This is a center next to the Seseragi Park Parking Area. You can obtain the latest information on Shirakawa-go, village maps and other material here. The parking area is also equipped with washrooms so please use them before your tour.

A community preserved and open to the public consisting of 26 houses including 9 houses that have been recognized as Important Cultural Properties of Gifu Prefecture. You can tour the thatched-roof homes and experience the lifestyle here.

Tour through the largest residence in the gassho-zukuri community. Used as a real home even now, you can walk through the 1st and 2nd floors.
The restaurant Irori is popular for providing local dishes using nearby local ingredients. It’s very crowded during noon so it’s recommended that lunch be eaten there as soon as possible.

Drop by the day-trip hot spring in Shirakawa-go. It’s popular as an onsen located within a World Heritage site village. For those not going into the onsen, the café inside the village is also recommended. Bunka Kissa Kyoushu is a coffee shop located inside a gassho-zukuri house which has a fine reputation for its wonderful view of the countryside from inside. (the menu only has coffee)

Board the 3:15 Nohi express bus for Takayama. Please check to make sure of your bus since there are a number of buses going in different directions. ＊Buses going to and from Kanazawa also stop at the terminal so you can also board here if you are moving on to Kanazawa. (Buses require prior reservations)